24 January 2010

The other night, we were having dinner when it dawned on me - the kid had cut her hair. It wasn't a complete hatchet job, just a little layering along the left side, but - here's the slacker mom part - it took us almost two days to notice. Yup, Parents Of The Year.

A couple of days earlier, she'd been out at an evening art class with her father. She had a sheaf of papers with her when they got home, and retired to her room, with the kitchen scissors, to cut images out (and make confetti). I went up a little later, to read to her and put her to bed, and found her under the bed with the paper and scissors - where she was, apparently, also giving herself a haircut. Because I didn't have to crawl under the bed to fish her out - as I sometimes do - I didn't notice the little pile of hair and paper clippings. Bedskirts hide all manner of sins.

I realize that it's almost a rite of passage for kids to cut their own hair, and I can't get too worked up about it. I'm stunned, though, that we completely missed it.

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comments:

About two years ago, when my little guy was four, he snipped a nickel-size chunk of hair off the top of my then-13-year old's head while she was reading a book. We didn't realize it happened until the severed part grew long enough to stick straight up. It was a very long couple of months of trying to flatten out the 'scalp bangs' while the hair grew out enough to be tamed by a hairband.

Ah well. You're right: it's a rite of passage. I mangled my little sister's hair when she was about 8. I think she's since forgiven me. Maybe.

We've totally missed this one. Other than Angus with the razor comb. I have to admit, I was kind of looking forward to it. And don't feel bad -- sometimes I think they could dye their hair pink and it would take me half a week to notice. Our focus is so fragmented, it's a wonder we notice anything.

That's classic! I definitely think it is a rite of passage. Jane cut her hair about a year ago & I found the clippings w/o noticing the part that she chopped. She started sobbing, not b/c she thought I was mad, but b/c it was a mistake - she didn't realize if she took scissors to her hair that she'd actually cut it off! (um, yeah, she WAS only 4 at the time)

we decided that hair wasn't worth getting that worked up about. my son and his band friends spent many teenaged hours in the bathroom with scissors, clippers, hair dyes of various unnatural shades, and even glue [for mohawks, don't ya know], and i just made them clean the mess and pose for photos. my future grandchildren will get many hours of enjoyment out of the time their dad had neon green bihawks.

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